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Ystrad
Rhondda 22 Beddau 7
Last
weekend’s bonus point win for Ystrad not only went
part of the way to exacting revenge for a narrow 13-14 defeat
at the hands of rivals Beddau in May’s Mid District
Cup but it meant Ystrad claimed another five points &
continue to move up the Division One league.
Sponsored by S & R Steelfixing the game was twentyfive
minutes old before a trademark quick penalty by Mark Jones
kept the tempo high for the home outfit & a timely offload
in the tackle by the scrum half to full back Geraint Shalton
saw Shalton dummy a pass to his wing & glide through
a gap to record the first try. For the majority of the afternoon
Ystrad dominated a much heavier Beddau scrum where prop
John Watkins stood out for particular praise, that said
Beddau were their own worst enemies picking up a total of
three yellow cards over the eighty minutes.
Thomas Hetherington reverted back to the hooker position
for this clash & made several barnstorming runs through
the Beddau defence, one of which almost resulted in a try
when the powerful Hetherington stormed down the touchline,
found number eight Hywel Stoddart in support who in turn
fed wing Dean Jones, a last gasp tackle by Beddau forced
pocket dynamo Jones into touch right on the visitor’s
line.
Massive pressure on the Beddau scrum in their twentytwo
allowed number eight Stoddart aided by flanker Nathan Hughes
to drive off the scrum & set up quick ruck ball for
scrum half Jones to release his backline. A wide pass from
outside half Dylan Jones to Gerwyn Davies, Davies playing
in his favoured inside centre position & having a fine
afternoon, saw the centre make a half break & release
the supporting Shalton, the hugely reliable full back drew
the last Beddau defender & passed for Dean Jones to
score in the corner & make the half time score 10-0.
Beddau started the second half with renewed vigour &
with Ystrad Captain Chris Hanly receiving medical attention
for what first appeared to be a nasty neck injury, they
registered a converted try to claw their way back to 10-7.
Within minutes man of the match Hanly was back on his feet
storming through would be tacklers, the ensuing ruck meant
more Beddau defenders sucked in & with Gerwyn Davies
setting a target in midfield before being hauled down just
short of the line, co centre & fit again Gareth Pugh
did well to secure the ruck ball for Stoddart to throw a
long pass to Shalton who again showed good hands to release
Chris Harris for a try in the corner. Shalton added the
convertion.
Ystrad’s bonus point try was a belter with just about
the whole team involved with interpassing at it’s
best from inside their own twentytwo, Hanly & Stoddart
showing up before a clever take & give by Hetherington
released wing Dean Jones for his second of the afternoon,
Shalton narrowly missed with the extras.
Apart from the obvious satisfaction of the win, Coaches
Roberts & Griffiths will have been enthused by the work
the forwards put in, constantly winning the battle in the
loose & also the balanced look of the midfield which
coincidentally saw the return to action of classy centre
Gareth Pugh.
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